FAQ'S

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ACUPUNCTURE

Q. Can Acupuncture help my complaint?

A. Acupuncture can be very good for a range of conditions and complaints, as well as general well being and helping people to relax. Acupuncture is well known for being a successful treatment for painful conditions (toothache, migraine and lower back pain etc.), it is also a useful method to treat a variety of other issues. Please feel free to call or email and ask if it may be useful for your individual needs.

Q. Does Acupuncture hurt?

A. No. A pinch, a tingling feeling or a dull ache is usually felt. When people think of needles, they usually think of injections given in a hospital or at a GP's surgery. Acupuncture needles are different, they are very fine and not hollow. Mir and Lisa use needles which are much thinner than most, which means very little or absolutely no discomfort is felt when they are inserted. No pharmaceutical drugs or any other substances are injected into the body. All needles are kept in sterile packaging and are used once, then diposed of in a sharps box, which is sent for incineration when it is full. People who are afraid of needles are always surprised at how little discomfort they feel when the needles are inserted and the usual comment is, "is that it? I wouldn't have worried if I'd known that it really didn't hurt at all."

Q. What happens during my first treatment?

A. All new patients are asked about their main complaints and then a questionaire is asked to complete the rest of the medical history. Once all the medical history has been taken the patient will then be given their first treatment. The needles are inserted and left in place for 20 minutes before being removed and disposed of into a sharps container (which is sent for incineration once full).

Q. What training have you had?

A. Lisa and Mir have both trained in a 3 year degree level Acupuncture course. This training was followed by hands-on training in Hangzhou TCM Hospital in China, which lead to membership of The British Acupuncture Council. Both Lisa and Mir update their skills regularly by attending courses in advanced and supplementary medical techniques, Mir has also undertaken additional training in Daoist Classical Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine. Both Mir and Lisa have also undertaken a one year Patent Herbal Medicine course.

When trying to find an Acupuncturist, it is always advisable to seek a practitioner who is registered with The British Acupuncture Council. Please be careful of visiting a practitioner who claims to be an Acupuncturist but has not trained at a recognised UK course/university or fully completed a doctorate level degreee at a recognised university in China or other countries.

"Members of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) have completed a thorough training of at least three

years in traditional acupuncture and bio medical sciences appropriate to the practice of acupuncture. They

carry the letters MBAcC after their name. The BAcC maintains common standards of education, ethics,

discipline and practice to ensure the health and safety of the public at all times. Members are covered by

Medical Malpractice and Public/ Products Liability insurance.

The BAcC currently has more than 3000 members whose details are published in an annual Register of

Practitioner Members. A copy of the full Register can be obtained by sending a cheque for £5.00 to the office,

or the BAcC office can post or fax to you a list of your local practitioner members free of charge. Simply

A. This varies according to the presenting complaint. During the first consultation the practitioner will discuss the number of treatments required. It is sometimes said that it may take approximately six treatments to have an affect, however we have found most people find some relief after the first one or two sessions.

Q. Can I take prescription medicine at the same time?

A. Yes. Having acupuncture treatment does not mean that you automatically have to stop taking medicine which has been prescribed to you by your GP. It always helps practitioners know which prescribed drugs you are taking and how long you have been taking them for, this will further help them in their diagnosis and treatment plan.

Some patients visit acupuncturists because they want an alternative to taking prescription drugs and some because they would like to avoid some of the side effects which some drugs may produce. It is always advised that withdrawal or reduction in dosage of medication is discussed with your GP before making any decisions to do so.

Q. How long is a treatment?

A. The first session is usually the longest; approximately 90 minutes. The consultation (which includes taking a detailed medical history) is carried out at this time. Sessions there afterwards usually last between 45-60 minutes.

Q. Do I keep my clothes on?

A. You will need to dress down appropriately to expose areas for treatment, such as shoulders or knees, this would be necessary to treat these areas. You will not be asked to take off any clothes unless it is to expose a small area for needling. The vast majority of needles are inserted into points between the hands and elbows or feet and knees.

Q. Should I do anything before or after the treatment?

A. If possible, try not to drink coffee or have a large meal immediately before your treatment, as this may alter diagnosis. Smoking before treatment can also affect tongue diagnosis. After the treatment some people may feel tired or drowsy, so having a short rest at home after treatments would be advisable.

Q. Can I give blood after acupuncture treatments?

A. There has to be a six month gap between your last acupuncture treatment and the date of giving blood.

MASSAGE

Q. What is the difference between them?

A. Tui Na is usually carried out over clothing. It can be a strong and stimulating massage and best suits those who prefer deep tissue massage and people who have chronic (long standing) musculoskeletal problems, injuries or very tight muscles, it is perfect for active sports people wanting to keep ther muscles from becoming too tight. Swedish massage will relax muscles, increase circulation and invigorate the nervous system. It is not as strong as Tui Na and is carried out on the skin. Aromatherapy is a gentle therapy using a blend of essential oils to help relieve and eliminate health problems. It is excellent for combating stress and anxiety symptoms.

HERBS

Q. Are they safe?

A. Yes. All of the pre-prepared herbal formulae ('patents'), raw herbs and herbal granules/powders used are bought from wholesalers in the UK. All are sourced from GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) approved suppliers, which is a standard originally established for the U.S. manufacture of pharmaceutical drugs. This standard is used by herbal and pharmaceutical manufacturers in Europe, Australia and Asia.

Q. Do you use animal products?

A. No. The vast majority of the products we use are of plant origin. They are either leaves, bark, root or fruit which have been dried and are ready for use to boil as a tea, or they have been granulated, which means boiled individually, then dried, powdered and added with an exipient to make them easier to make into tea. (The exipients most commonly used in Chinese and Taiwanese factories are Dextrose and Starch.)

Some of the herbs used have been baked with honey and sometimes others are baked with vinegar. The honey is the only animal product used in the herbs we prescribe. We do not use any other animal products or condone the use of animals products such as Tiger bone.

Q. Are the quality of the herbs you use checked?

A. Yes. All of our herbs are purchased from reliable ethical and responsible wholesalers who have to not only meet strict EU regulations in the quality of their herbs, but carry out stringent inhouse tests on their supplies, checking for contaminants such as metals or pesticides.